Notes of an Overland Journey Through France and Egypt to Bombay by Miss Emma Roberts

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Israelites, and in meditations suggested by this interesting portionof Bible history, the time passed so rapidly, that I was surprisedwhen I found the people astir and preparing for our departure. Mygarments were rather damp with the night-dews, for, having left someof my friends sleeping upon my fur cloak, I had gone out more lightlyattired than perhaps was prudent. I was not, therefore, sorry to findmyself warmly wrapped up, and in my chair, in which I should haveslept very comfortably, had Hot the man who guided the donkeys takenit into his head to quarrel with one of his comrades, and to bawl outhis grievances close to my ear. My wakefulness was, however, amplyrepaid by the most glorious sunrise I ever witnessed. The sky had beenfor some time obscured by clouds, which had gathered themselves in abank upon the Eastern horizon. The sun's rays started up at once,like an imperial crown, above this bank, and as they darted theirglittering spears, for such they seemed, along the heavens, theclouds, dispersing, formed into a mighty arch, their edges becominggolden; while below all was one flush of crimson light. Neither at seanor on land had I ever witnessed any thing so magnificent as this,and those who desire to see the god of day rise in the fulness of hismajesty must make a pilgrimage to the desert.

We made no stay at the rest-house, which we reached about nine o'clockin the morning; and here, for the last time, we saw the governor ofJiddah and his party, winding along at some distance, and giving lifeand character to the desert. The fantastic appearance of the hillsincreased as we advanced; the slightest stretch of fancy was alonenecessary to transform many into fortresses and towers, and at lengtha bright glitter at a distance revealed the Red Sea. The sun gleamingupon its waters shewed them like a mirror, and soon afterwards theappearance of some low buildings indicated the town of Suez.

I happened to be in advance of the party, under the conduct of one ofthe gentlemen who had joined us on the preceding evening; I thereforedirected Mohammed to go forward, to announce our approach; and eitherthe sight of the Red Sea, or their eagerness to reach a well-knownspring of water, induced my donkeys to gallop along the road with me;a fortunate circumstance, as the day was beginning to be very sultry,and I felt that I should enjoy the shelter and repose of a habitation.As we went along, indications of the new power, which had alreadyeffected the easy transit of the desert, were visible in small patchesof coal, scattered upon the sand; presently we saw a dark nondescriptobject, that did not look at all like the abode of men, civilizedor uncivilized; and yet, from the group hovering about an aperture,seemed to be tenanted by human beings. This proved to be an oldboiler, formerly belonging to a steam-vessel, and appearing, indeed,as if some black and shapeless hulk had been cast on shore. The well,which had attracted my donkeys, was very picturesque; the water flowedinto a large stone trough, or rather basin, beneath the walls of acastellated edifice, pierced with many small windows, and apparentlyin a very dilapidated state. Those melancholy _memento moris,_ whichhad tracked our whole progress through the desert, were to be seenin the immediate vicinity of this well. The skeletons of five or sixcamels lay in a group within a few yards of the haven which they haddoubtless toiled anxiously, though so vainly, to reach. I never couldlook upon the bones of these poor animals without a painful feeling,and in the hope that European skill and science may yet bring forwardthose hidden waters which would disarm the desert of its terrors.It is said that the experiment of boring has been tried, and failed,between Suez and Cairo, but that it succeeded in the great desert;some other method, perhaps, may be found, if the project of bringingwater from the hills, by means of aqueducts, should be too expensive.We heard this plan talked of at the bungalow, but I fear that, in thepresent state of Egypt, it is very chimerical.

This was now our fourth day upon the desert, and we had not sustainedthe smallest inconvenience; the heat, even at noon, being verybearable, and the sand not in the least degree troublesome. Doubtless,at a less favourable period of the year, both would prove difficultto bear. The wind, we were told, frequently raised the sand in clouds;and though the danger of being buried beneath the tombs thus made, wehad reason to believe, was greatly exaggerated, yet the plague of sandis certainly an evil to be dreaded, and travellers will do wellto avoid the season in which it prevails. The speed of my donkeysincreasing, rather than diminishing, after we left the well, for theyseemed to know that Suez would terminate their journey, I crossed theintervening three miles very quickly, and was soon at the walls of thetown.

Distance lends no enchantment to the view of Suez. It is difficult tofancy that the few miserable buildings, appearing upon the marginof the sea, actually constitute a town; and the heart sinks at theapproach to a place so barren and desolate. My donkeys carried methrough a gap in the wall, which answered all the purposes ofa gateway, and we passed along broken ground and among wretchedhabitations, more fit for the abode of savage beasts than men. Eventhe superior description of houses bore so forlorn and dilapidatedan appearance, that I actually trembled as I approached them, fearingthat my guide would stop, and tell me that, my journey was at an end.

Before I had time to make any observations upon the place to which Iwas conducted, I found myself at the foot of a flight of steps, andreaching a landing place, saw another above, and Mohammed descendingto meet me. I followed him to the top, and crossing a large apartment,which served as dining and drawing room, entered a passage which ledto a light and certainly airy bed-chamber; for half the front wall,and a portion of one of the sides, were entirely formed of woodentrellice, which admitted, with the utmost freedom, all the winds ofheaven, the sun, and also the dust. There was a mat upon the floor,and the apartment was whitewashed to the rafters, which were in goodcondition; and upon Mohammed's declaration that it was free from rats,I felt an assurance of a share of comfort which I had dared not expectbefore. There were two neat beds, with musquito-curtains, two tables,and washing apparatus, but no looking-glass; an omission which I couldsupply, though we had dispensed with such a piece of luxury altogetherin the desert. Well supplied with hot and cold water, I had enjoyedthe refreshment of plenteous ablutions, and nearly completed mytoilet, before the arrival of the friends I had so completelydistanced. I made an attempt to sit down to my desk, but was unableto write a line, and throwing myself on my bed full dressed, I fellasleep in a moment, and enjoyed the deepest repose for an hour, orperhaps longer.

I was awakened by my friend, Miss E., who informed me that the purserof the _Berenice_ was in the drawing-room, and that I must go to himand pay my passage-money. I was not, however, provided with the meansof doing this in ready cash, and as the rate of exchange for thethirty pounds in sovereigns which I possessed could not be decidedhere, at the suggestion of one of my fellow-passengers, I drew abill upon a banker in Bombay for the amount, eighty pounds, the sumdemanded for half a cabin, which, fortunately, I could divide withthe friend who had accompanied me from England. This transaction socompletely roused me, that I found myself equal to the continuationof the journal which I had commenced at Cairo. I despatched also theletter with which I had been kindly furnished to the British Consul,and was immediately favoured by a visit from him. As we expressedsome anxiety about our accommodation on board the steamer, hepolitely offered to take us to the vessel in his own boat; but tothis arrangement the purser objected, stating that the ship was inconfusion, and that one of the best cabins had been reserved for us.With this assurance we were accordingly content.

We arrived at Suez on Wednesday, the 9th of October, and were told tohold ourselves in readiness to embark on Friday at noon. We were notsorry for this respite, especially as we found our hotel, which waskept by a person in the employment of Mr. Waghorn, more comfortablethan could have been hoped for from its exterior. The greatestannoyance we sustained was from the dust, which was brought in by avery strong wind through the lattices. I endeavoured to remedy thisevil, in some degree, by directing the servants of the house to naila sheet across the upper portion of the perforated wood-work. Thewindows of our chamber commanded as good a view of Suez as the placeafforded; one at the side overlooked an irregular open space, whichstretched between the house and the sea. At some distance opposite,there were one or two mansions of much better appearance than therest, and having an air of comfort imparted to them by outsideshutters, of new and neat construction. These we understood to be theabodes of officers in the Pasha's service. Mehemet Ali is said tobe extremely unwilling to allow English people to build housesfor themselves at Suez; while he freely grants permission to theirresidence at Alexandria and Cairo, he seems averse to their settlingupon the shores of the Red Sea. Mr. Waghorn and Mr. Hill are,therefore, compelled to be content to fit up the only residences attheir disposal in the best manner that circumstances will admit. Ihad no opportunity of forming any opinion respecting Mr. Hill'sestablishment, but am able to speak very well of the accommodationafforded by the hotel at which we sojourned.

Judging from the exterior, for the desert itself does not appear tobe less productive than Suez, there must have been some difficulty ingetting supplies, notwithstanding we found no want of good things atour breakfast and dinner-table, plenty of eggs and milk, fowl and fishbeing supplied; every article doing credit to the skill of thecook. Nor was the cleanliness that prevailed, in despite of all theobstacles opposed to it, less worthy of praise: the servants werecivil and attentive, and the prices charged extremely moderate. Allthe guests of the hotel of course formed one family, assembling dailyat meals, after the continental fashion. The dining-room was spacious,and divided into two portions; the one ascended by a step wassurrounded by divans, after the Egyptian fashion, and here were booksto be found containing useful and entertaining knowledge. A few straynumbers of the _Asiatic Journal_, half a dozen volumes of standardnovels, files of the _Bombay Times_, and works illustrative of ancientand modern Egypt, served to beguile the time of those who hadnothing else to do. Meanwhile, travellers came dropping in, and thecaravanserai was soon crowded.

CHAPTER VII.

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SUEZ TO ADEN.

* * * * *

Travellers assembling at Suez--Remarks on the Pasha's Government--Embarkation on the Steamer--Miserable accommodation in the _Berenice_, and awkwardness of the attendants--Government Ships not adapted to carry Passengers--Cause of the miserable state of the Red Sea Steamers--Shores of the Red Sea--Arrival at Mocha--Its appearance from the Sea--Arrival at Aden--Its wild and rocky appearance on landing--Cape Aden--The Town--Singular appearance of the Houses--The Garrison expecting an attack by the Arabs--Discontent of the Servants of Europeans at Aden--Complaints by Anglo-Indians against Servants--Causes--Little to interest Europeans in Aden.

Amongst the travellers who came dropping in at the hotel, wasthe Portuguese governor of Goa and his suite, consisting of fourgentlemen, the private and public secretaries, an aide-de-camp, andthe fourth holding some other appointment. They came by the Frenchsteamer, which had left Marseilles on the day of our departure. Thegovernor, a fine old soldier, and a perfect gentleman, proved agreat acquisition to our party; and knowing the state of Goa, and thedisappointment he would in all probability sustain upon arriving atthe seat of his government in the present low condition to which itis reduced, we could not help feeling much interested in his welfare.This gentleman, who inherited the title of baron, and was moreoveran old general officer, had mixed in the very best society, and wasevidently well acquainted with courts and camps; he spoke severallanguages, and in the course of his travels had visited England. Hisretinue were quiet gentlemanly men, and the young aide-de-camp, inparticular, made himself very agreeable.

There were two other travellers of some note at Suez, who had put upat Hill's Hotel; one, an American gentleman, who had come across thedesert for the purpose of looking at the Red Sea. I saw him mountedupon a donkey, and gazing as he stood upon the shore at the bright butnarrow channel, so interesting to all who have read the history of theIsraelites, with reverential feelings. I felt a strong inclinationto accost him; but refrained, being unwilling to disturb his reverieswith what he might have thought an impertinent interruption. It wasevidently a last look, for he was veiled for the journey, and atlength, tearing himself away, he turned his donkey's head, andstruck into the desert. The other traveller was a young Scotsman,who proposed to go as far as Aden in the _Berenice_, on his way toAbyssinia, trusting that a residence of some months in Egypt wouldenable him to pass for a Turk. He had no very precise object in view,but intended to make an attempt to explore the sources of the Nile.

There was nothing in Suez that could make a longer stay desirable, andwe quitted it without regret. My journey through Egypt had been muchtoo rapid for me to presume to give any decided opinion concerningthe strongly agitated question respecting the merits of the Pasha'sgovernment. It is very evident that he has not learned the mostinstructive lesson of political economy, nor has yet understood thatthe way to render himself powerful is to make his subjects rich;nevertheless, though his exactions and monopolies may be felt atpresent as very serious evils, yet, in establishing manufactories, andin embodying a national force, there can be no doubt that he has sownthe seeds of much that is good; and should his government, afterhis death, fall into the hands of people equally free from religiousprejudices, we may reasonably hope that they will entertain moreenlarged and liberal views, and thus render measures, now difficultto bear, of incalculable advantage to the future prosperity of thecountry.

The British Consul politely offered to conduct myself and my femalefriends on board the steamer; he accordingly called for us, and Ibade, as I hoped, a last adieu to Suez, it being my wish and intentionto return home by way of Cosseir. Previous to our embarkation, aseries of regulations had been placed in our hands for the engagementof passages in the Honourable Company's armed steamers, withinstructions to passengers, &c.

Upon repairing to our cabin, Miss E. and myself were surprised anddisappointed at the miserable accommodation it afforded. The threecabins allotted to the use of the ladies had been appropriated, in twoinstances, to married couples, and we were obliged to put up with oneof smaller size, which had the additional inconvenience of openinginto the public saloon. There were no Venetian blinds to the door,consequently, the only means of obtaining a free circulation of airwas to have it open. A locker with a hinged shelf, which opened likea shutter, and thus afforded space for one mattress to be placed uponit, ran along one side of the cabin, under the port-hole, but thefloor was the only visible means of accommodation for the secondperson crammed by Government regulation into this den. There was nota place in which a wash-hand basin could be put, so awkwardly werethe doors arranged, to one of which there was no fastening whatsoever.Altogether, the case seemed hopeless, and as cock-roaches were walkingabout the vessel by dozens, the prospect of sleeping on the groundwas anything but agreeable, especially with the feeling that we werepaying at the rate of four pounds a day for our accommodation.

We were, however, compelled to postpone our arrangements, by a summonsto dinner; and in the evening, when repairing again to the cabin, Ifound my mattress placed upon two portmanteaus and a box. Of course,no attention was paid to the inequalities of the surface, and Iendeavoured, by folding my fur cloak and a thick dressing-gownunder my sheet, to render this miserable apology for a bed tenable.Hitherto, our berth-places in the Government-steamers had been verycomfortable; though small, they answered the purpose of sleeping andof washing, while the larger cabin into which they opened, and whichwas set apart for the ladies, enabled us all to complete our toiletswithout inconvenience. A sail had been hung before the door by way ofcurtain, but the heat was still difficult to bear, and we found thatwe had adventured upon the Red Sea at least a month too soon. The nextmorning, the captain, hearing that I had, as might have beenexpected, passed a wretched night, kindly sent his cot for my futureaccommodation; after the second night, however, the servants thinkingit too much trouble to attend to it properly, the ropes gave way, andit came down. The cabin being much too small to allow it to remainhanging all day, I at first trusted to the servants to put it up atnight; but, after this accident, and finding them to be incorrigiblystupid, lazy, and disobliging, I contented myself with placing the cotupon two portmanteaus, and thus forming a bed-place. Subsequently, oneof the passengers having kindly adjusted the ropes, Miss E. and myselfcontrived to sling it; a fatiguing operation, which added much to thediscomforts of the voyage. The idea of going upon the quarter-deck, orwriting a letter, which might perhaps be handed up to Government, tomake a formal complaint to the captain, was not to be thought of, andseeing the impossibility of getting any thing properly done by thetribe of uncouth barbarians dignified by the name of servants, theonly plan was to render myself quite independent of them, and much didwe miss the activity, good humour, and readiness to oblige manifestedby our Egyptian attendant, Mohammed. Where a wish to please isevinced, though wholly unattended by efficiency in the dutiesundertaken by a servant, I can very easily excuse awkwardness,forgetfulness, or any other fault; but the wretched half-castes, whotake service on board the Government steamers, have not even commoncivility to recommend them; there was not a passenger in the vesselwho did not complain of the insults to which all were more or lesssubjected.

Where the blame lay, it is difficult to state exactly; no one could bemore kind and obliging than the captain, and it was this dispositionupon his part which rendered us all unwilling to worry him withcomplaints. The charge of a steamer in the Red Sea seems quite enoughto occupy the commandant's time and attention, without having thecomforts of seven or eight-and-twenty passengers to look after; butthese duties might have been performed by a clever and active steward.Whether there was a personage on board of that designation, I nevercould learn; I asked several times to speak with him, but he never ina single instance attended the summons.

We had no reason to complain of want of liberality on the part of thecaptain, for the table was plentifully supplied, though the cooks,being unfortunately most worthy of the patronage of that potentate whois said to send them to our kitchens, generally contrived to renderthe greater portion uneatable. The advantage of rising from table withan appetite is one which I have usually tried on board ship, havingonly in few instances, during my numerous voyages, been fortunateenough to find food upon which I dared to venture.

The more I have seen of government ships, the more certain I feel thatthey are not adapted to carry passengers. The authorities appear tothink that people ought to be too thankful to pay an enormous pricefor the worst species of accommodation. The commandants have notbeen accustomed to attend to the minutiae which can alone secure thecomfort of those who sail with them, while the officers, generallyspeaking, endeavour to show their contempt of the service in whichthey are sent, against their inclination, by neglect and even rudenesstowards the passengers.

While on board the _Berenice_, the following paragraph in a Bombaynewspaper struck my eye, and as it is a corroboration of thestatements which I deem it to be a duty to make, I insert it in thisplace. "The voyager (from Agra) must not think his troubles at anend on reaching Bombay, or that the steam-packets are equal to thepassenger Indiaman in accommodation. In fact, I cannot conceive how alady manages; we have, however, five. There are only seven very smallcabins, into each of which two people are crammed; no room to swingcats. Eight other deluded individuals, of whom I am one, are given tounderstand that a cabin-passage is included in permission to sleep onthe benches and table of the cuddy. For this you pay Rs. 200 extra.The vessel is dirty beyond measure, from the soot, and with thedifficulty of copious ablution and private accommodation, is almostworse, to a lover of Indian habits, than the journey to Bombay fromAgra upon camels. No civility is to be got from the officers. If theyare not directly uncivil, the passengers are luckier than we havebeen. They declare themselves disgusted with passenger ships, but donot take the proper way of showing their superiority to the duty."

The only officer of the _Berenice_ who dined at the captain's tablewas the surgeon of the vessel, and in justice to him it must besaid, that he left no means untried to promote the comfort of thepassengers. It is likewise necessary to state, that we were neverput upon an allowance of water, although, in consequence of latealterations made in the dockyard, the vessel had been reduced toabout half the quantity she had been accustomed to carry in iron tanksconstructed for the purpose. Notwithstanding this reduction, wecould always procure a sufficiency, either of hot or cold water, forablutions, rendered doubly necessary in consequence of the atmosphereof coal-dust which we breathed. Not that it was possible to continueclean for a single hour; nevertheless, there was some comfort inmaking the attempt.

There were eight cabins in the _Berenice_, besides the threeappropriated to ladies; these were ranged four on either side ofthe saloon, reaching up two-thirds of the length. The apartment,therefore, took the form of a T, and the upper end or cross wasfurnished with horse-hair sofas; upon these, and upon the table, thosepassengers slept who were not provided with cabins. Many preferred thedeck, but being washed out of it by the necessary cleaning process,which took place at day-break, were obliged to make their toilettesin the saloon. This also formed the dressing-place for dinner, and thebasins of dirty water, hair-brushes, &c. were scarcely removed fromthe side-tables before the party were summoned to their repast. Thepreparations for this meal were a work of time, always beginning athalf-past one; an hour was employed in placing the dishes upon thetable, in order that every thing might have time to cool.

The reason assigned for not putting Venetian blinds to the cabin-doorswas this: it would injure the appearance of the cabin--an appearancecertainly not much improved by the dirty sail which hung against ourportal. The saloon itself, without this addition, was dingy enough,being panelled with dark oak, relieved by a narrow gilt cornice, andthe royal arms carved and gilded over an arm-chair at the rudder-case,the ornaments of a clock which never kept time. All the servants, whocould not find accommodation elsewhere, slept under the table; thusadding to the abominations of this frightful place. And yet we werecongratulated upon our good fortune, in being accommodated in the_Berenice_, being told that the _Zenobia_, which passed us on our way,had been employed in carrying pigs between Waterford and Bristol, andthat the _Hugh Lindsay_ was in even worse condition; the _Berenice_being, in short, the crack ship.

Every day added to the heat and the dirt, and in the evening, whengoing upon deck to inhale the odours of the hen-coops, the smell wasinsufferable. When to this annoyance coal-dust, half an inch deep,is added, my preference of my own cabin will not be a subject ofsurprise. With what degree of truth, I cannot pretend to say, allthe disagreeable circumstances sustained on board the _Berenice_ wereattributed to the alterations made in the docks. Previously to thesechanges, we were told, the furnaces were supplied with coal by amethod which obviated the necessity of having it upon deck, whence thedust was now carried all over the ship upon the feet of the personswho were continually passing to and fro.

Occasionally, we suffered some inconvenience from the motion of thevessel, but, generally speaking, nothing more disagreeable occurredthan the tremulous action of the engines, an action which completelyincapacitated me from any employment except that of reading. The onlyseats or tables we could command in our cabin consisted of our boxes,so that being turned out of the saloon at half-past one, by theservants who laid the cloth for dinner, it was not very easy to makean attempt at writing, or even needle-work. Doubtless the passengersfrom Bombay could contrive to have more comforts about them. It wasimpossible, however, that those who had already made a long overlandjourney should be provided with the means of furnishing their cabins,and this consideration should weigh with the Government when takingmoney for the accommodation of passengers. Cabins ought certainly tobe supplied with bed-places and a washing-table, and not to be leftperfectly dismantled by those occupants who arrive at Suez, and who,having previously fitted them up, have a right to all they contain.

The miserable state of the Red Sea steamers, of course, oftenfurnished a theme for conversation, and we were repeatedly told thattheir condition was entirely owing to the jealousy of the people ofCalcutta, who could not endure the idea of the importance to whichBombay was rising, in consequence of its speedy communication withEngland. Without knowing exactly where the fault may lie, it must besaid that there is great room for improvement. In all probability, theincreased number of persons who will proceed to India by way of theRed Sea, now that the passage is open, will compel the merchants, orother speculators, to provide better vessels for the trip. At present,the price demanded is enormously disproportioned to the accommodationgiven, while the chance of falling in with a disagreeable person inthe commandant should be always taken into consideration by those whomeditate the overland journey. The consolation, in so fine a vesselas the _Berenice_, consists in the degree of certainty with whichthe duration of the voyage may be calculated, eighteen or twenty daysbeing the usual period employed. In smaller steamers, and those of aless favourable construction, accidents and delays are very frequent;sometimes the coal is burning half the voyage, and thus renderednearly useless to the remaining portion, the vessel depending entirelyupon the sails.

During the hot weather and the monsoons, the navigation of the RedSea is attended with much inconvenience, from the sultriness of theatmosphere and the high winds; it is only, therefore, at one seasonof the year that travellers can, with any hope of comfort, availthemselves of the route; it must, consequently, be questionablewhether the influx of voyagers will be sufficiently great to cover theexpense of the vessels required. A large steamer is now buildingat Bombay, for the purpose of conveying the mails, and another isexpected out from England with the same object.

The shores of the Red Sea are bold and rocky, exhibiting ranges ofpicturesque hills, sometimes seceding from, at others approaching, thebeach. A few days brought us to Mocha. The captain had kindly promisedto take me on shore with him; but, unfortunately, the heat and thefatigue which I had sustained had occasioned a slight attack of fever,and as we did not arrive before the town until nearly twelve o'clock,I was afraid to encounter the rays of the sun during the day. We couldobtain a good view of the city from the vessel; it appeared tobe large and well built, that is, comparatively speaking; but itsunsheltered walls, absolutely baked in the sun, and the arid waste onwhich it stood, gave to it a wild and desolate appearance.

We were told that already, since the British occupation of Aden, thetrade of Mocha had fallen off. It seldom happens that a steamer passesdown the Red Sea without bringing emigrants from Mocha, anxious toestablish themselves in the new settlement; and if Aden were madea free port, there can be little doubt that it would monopolize thewhole commerce of the neighbourhood. The persons desirous to colonizethe place say, very justly, that they cannot afford to pay duties,having to quit their own houses at a loss, and to construct others,Aden being at present destitute of accommodation for strangers. If,however, encouragement should be given them, they will flock thitherin great numbers; and, under proper management, there is every reasonto hope that Aden will recover all its former importance and wealth,and become one of the most useful dependencies of the British crown.

We were to take in coals and water at Aden, and arriving there in theafternoon of Saturday, the 19th of October, every body determined togo on shore, if possible, on the ensuing morning. By the kindness ofsome friends, we had palanquins in waiting at day-break, which wereto convey us a distance of five miles to the place now occupiedas cantonments. Our road conducted us for a mile or two along thesea-shore, with high crags piled on one side, a rugged path, and rocksrising out of the water to a considerable distance. We then ascendeda height, which led to an aperture in the hills, called the Pass.Here we found a gate and a guard of sepoys. The scenery was wild, andthough nearly destitute of vegetation--a few coarse plants occurringhere and there scarcely deserving the name--very beautiful.

It would, perhaps, be too much to designate the bare and lofty cliffs,which piled themselves upwards in confused masses, with the name ofmountains; they nevertheless conveyed ideas of sublimity which I hadnot associated with other landscapes of a similar nature. The Pass,narrow and enclosed on either side by winding rocks, brought us atlength down a rather steep declivity to a sort of basin, surroundedupon three sides with lofty hills, and on the fourth by the sea.

Cape Aden forms a high and rocky promontory, the most elevated portionbeing 1,776 feet above the level of the sea. This lofty headland, whenviewed at a distance, appears like an island, in consequence ofits being connected with the interior by low ground, which, in thevicinity of Khora Muckse, is quite a swamp. Its summits assume theaspect of turretted peaks, having ruined forts and watch-towers onthe highest elevations. The hills are naked and barren, and the valleylittle better; the whole, however, presenting a grand, picturesque,and imposing appearance. The town of Aden lies on the east side of theCape, in the amphitheatre before mentioned. A sketch of its historywill be given, gathered upon the spot, in a subsequent paper, theplace being sufficiently interesting to demand a lengthened notice;meanwhile a passing remark is called for on its present appearance.

At first sight of Aden, it is difficult to suppose it to be theresidence of human beings, and more especially of European families.The town, if such it may be called, consists of a few scattered housesof stone, apparently loosely put together, with pigeon-holes forwindows, and roofs which, being flat, and apparently surrounded by alow parapet, afford no idea of their being habitable. It is difficultto find a comparison for these dwellings, which appeared to becomposed of nothing more than four walls, and yet, to judge from theapertures, contained two or more stories. The greater number wereenclosed in a sort of yard or compound, the fences being formed oflong yellow reeds; the less substantial dwellings were entirely madeof these reeds, so that they looked like immense crates or cages fordomestic fowls.

My palanquin at length stopped at a flight of steps hewn out ofthe rock; and I found myself at the entrance of a habitation,half-bungalow, half-tent; and certainly, as the permanent abodeof civilized beings, the strangest residence I had ever seen. Theuprights and frame-work were made of reeds and bamboos, lined withthin mats, which had at one time been double; but the harbour thusafforded for rats being found inconvenient, the outer casing had beenremoved. Two good-sized apartments, with verandahs all round, anddressing and bathing-rooms attached, were formed in this way; theywere well carpeted and well furnished, but destitute both of glasswindows and wooden doors; what are called in India _jaumps_, andchicks of split bamboo, being the substitutes.

Government not yet having fixed upon the site for the station intendedto be established at Aden, none of the European inhabitants havebegun to build their houses, which, it is said, are to be verysolidly constructed of stone; at present, they are scattered, in Gipsyfashion, upon the rocks overlooking the sea, and at the time of theyear in which I visited them they enjoyed a delightfully cool breeze.What they would be in the hot weather, it is difficult to say. Thesupplies, for the most part, come from a considerable distance, butappear to be abundant; and when at length a good understanding shallhave taken place between the British Government and the neighbouringsheikhs, the markets will be furnished with every thing that thecountries in the vicinity produce.

The garrison were prepared, at the period of our arrival, for theoutbreak which has since occurred. It is melancholy to contemplate thesacrifice of life which will in all probability take place before theArabs will be reconciled to the loss of a territory which has fora long time been of no use to them, but which, under its presentmasters, bids fair to introduce mines of wealth into an impoverishedcountry. The Pasha of Egypt had long cast a covetous eye upon Aden,and its occupation by the British took place at the precise periodrequisite to check the ambitious designs of a man thirsting forconquest, and to allay the fears of the Imaum of Muscat, who,naturally enough, dreaded encroachments upon his territory.

Aden had hitherto agreed very well with its European residents. Thesepoys, servants, and camp-followers, however, had suffered much bothfrom mental and bodily ailments. They were deprived of their usualsources of amusement, and of their accustomed food, and languishedunder that home-sickness, which the natives of India feel in a veryacute degree. The greater number of servants were discontented, andanxious to return to their native country. This natural desire upontheir part was highly resented by their masters, who, instead oftaking the most obvious means of remedying the evil, and employingthe natives of the place, who appeared to be tractable and teachableenough, abused and threatened to beat the unfortunate people,convicted of what self-love styles "ingratitude."

In a very clever work, I have seen the whole sum of the miseries ofhuman life comprised in one word, "servants;" and until we can procurehuman beings with all the perfections of our fallen nature, and noneof our faults, to minister to our wants and wishes, the complaint,so sickening and so general, and frequently so unjust, will bereiterated. Anglo-Indians, however, seem to be more tormented by thesedomestic plagues than any other set of people. The instant a strangerlands upon Asiatic ground, we hear of nothing else. It is consideredto be polite conversation in the drawing-room, aid delicate-lookingwomen will listen with the greatest complacence to the most brutalthreats uttered by their male associates against the wretched peoplewhom hard fate has placed about their persons. By some mischance,these very individuals are equally ill-served at home, the greaternumber who return to England being either rendered miserable there, ordriven back to India in consequence of the impossibility of managingtheir servants. As far as my own experience goes, with the exceptionof the people in the _Berenice_, who were not in the slightest degreeunder the control of the passengers, or, it may be said, attached tothem in any way, I have always found it easy, both at home and abroad,to obtain good servants, at least quite as good as people, consciousof the infirmities of humanity in their own persons, have a right toexpect. My simple rule has been, never to keep a person who did notsuit me, and to treat those who did with kindness and indulgence. Thesystem has always answered, and I am probably on that account the lessinclined to sympathize with persons who are eternally complaining.

There may be some excuse at Aden for the conversation turning upondomestic matters of this kind, and perhaps I do the station injusticein supposing that they form a common topic. With the exception ofthose persons who take pleasure in the anticipation of the improvementof the surrounding tribes, there is very little to interest Europeanresidents in this arid spot. Should, however, the hopes which manyenlightened individuals entertain be realized, or the prospect oftheir fulfilment continue unclouded, those who now endure a drearyexile in a barren country, and surrounded by a hostile people, willor ought to derive much consolation from the thought, that theiremployment upon a disagreeable duty may prove of the utmost benefit tothousands of their fellow-creatures. It is pleasant to look forward tothe civilization of Abyssinia, and other more remote places, by meansof commercial intercourse with Aden.

CHAPTER VIII.

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ADEN.

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Commanding situation of Aden--Its importance in former times--But few remains of its grandeur--Its facilities as a retreat for the piratical hordes of the Desert--The loss of its trade followed by reduction of the population--Speculations as to the probability of ultimately resisting the Arabs--Exaggerated notions entertained by the Shiekhs of the wealth of the British--Aden a free Port would be the Queen of the adjacent Seas--Its advantages over Mocha--The Inhabitants of Aden--The Jews--The Banians--The Soomalees--The Arabs--Hopes of the prosperity of Aden--Goods in request there--Exports--Re-embarkation on the Steamer--Want of attention--Makallah--Description of the place--Its products--The Gazelle--Traveller in Abyssinia--Adventurous English Travellers--Attractions of the Arab life--Arrival at Bombay.

Wretched and miserable as the appearance of Aden must be deemed atthe present moment, its commanding situation rendered it of greatimportance in former times. During the reign of Constantine, it was anopulent city, forming one of the great emporia for the commerce ofthe East. The sole remains of the grandeur it once boasted consists ofabout ninety dilapidated stone houses, the greater number of dwellingswhich seem to shelter its scanty population being nothing more thanhuts rudely constructed of reeds. These wretched tenements, huddledtogether without the slightest attempt at regularity, occupy thecrater of an extinct volcano. Unrelieved by trees, and assimilatingin colour with the arid soil and barren hills rising around, theyscarcely convey an idea of the purpose for which they are designed.

A stranger, entering Aden, finds it difficult to believe that he is inthe midst of an inhabited place, the houses appearing to be fewer innumber, and more insignificant, than a closer inspection proves themto be. No splendid fragment, imposing in its ruin, records the gloryand opulence of the populous city, as it existed in the days ofSolyman the Magnificent, the era from whence it dates its decline. Thepossession of Aden was eagerly contended for by the two great powers,the Turks and the Portuguese, struggling for mastery in the East, andwhen they were no longer able to maintain their rivalry, it revertedinto the hands of its ancient masters, the Arabs. The securityafforded by its natural defences, aided by the fortifications, thework of former times, rendered it a suitable retreat for the piraticalhordes of the desert. The lawless sons of Ishmael could, from thisstronghold, rush out upon the adjacent waters, and make themselvesmasters of the wealth of those adventurers who dared to encounter thedangers of the Red Sea.

With the loss of every thing approaching to good government, Aden lostits trade. The system of monopoly, which enriches the sovereign at theexpense of the subject, speedily ends in ruin. The superior classes ofthe inhabitants were either driven away, in consequence of the tyrannywhich they endured, or, reduced to a state of destitution, perishedmiserably upon the soil, until at length the traces of formermagnificence became few and faint, the once flourishing city fallinginto one wide waste of desolation. The remains of a splendid aqueduct,which was at the first survey mistaken for a Roman road; a solitarywatch-tower, and a series of broken walls, alone attest the ancientglories of the place.

Previous to the occupation of the British, the population of Adenscarcely exceeded six hundred souls; it is now, independently of thegarrison, more nearly approaching to a thousand, and of these theprincipal number are Jews, who, together with about fifty Banians,have contrived to amass a little of what, by comparison, may be calledwealth. The trade of Aden, for a long time before we obtained ourpresent possession, was very trifling, the imports consisting of a fewEnglish cotton cloths, together with lead, iron, and tin, whichwere brought by Buglas on their way to Mocha; rice, dates, and smallnumbers of cattle, likewise, coming from neighbouring places; whilethe exports were limited to a little coffee, millet, and a few drugs.

At the period of my visit to Aden, the garrison were in almostmomentary expectation of an attack from the Arabs, who had gatheredto the amount of five thousand in the neighbourhood, and kept the newoccupants continually upon the alert. Of course, in such a state ofaffairs, great differences of opinion existed respecting the ultimatefate of this interesting place. Many acute persons consider theproject of colonizing a barren spot, surrounded by hostile tribes, bya handful of soldiers from India, chimerical, especially in the teethof predictions which have for so long a period been fulfilled to theletter. It is stated that the Imaum of Muscat asked, in astonishment,whether we were mad enough to contemplate the subjugation of theArabs, the sons of his father Ishmael; since we could not be soignorant of our own Scriptures as not to know that their hands were tobe eternally against every man, and every man's hand against theirs.But, although the Arabs should continue hostile, while we are mastersof the sea, and can strengthen Aden so completely upon the land-side,as to render it, what many people believe it can be made, a secondGibraltar, we have a wide field for commercial speculation in theopposite coast of Africa.

Aden is, at present, a very expensive possession, and the long periodwhich has elapsed since our occupation, without preparationshaving been commenced for a permanent residence, has occasioned anapprehension that it may be ultimately abandoned. Many persons are,however, sanguine in the hope that, as soon as scientific men havedecided upon the best site for a cantonment, buildings will be erectedfor the reception of the garrison. These, it is confidently expected,will be upon a grand scale, and of solid construction. The greaterportion of the materials must be brought from distant places, andalready some of the European inhabitants are conveying from Bombaythose portable houses which are commonly set up during the cold seasonon the Esplanade, and which will afford a great improvement uponthe dwellings of bamboos, reeds, and mats, which at present formthe abodes of the officers of this establishment. It has beensatisfactorily ascertained, that the clearing out and repairing theold tanks and wells will be sufficient to secure an ample supply ofwater for a very extensive population, the report of those gentlemenemployed in analyzing its quality being highly favourable.

A little allowance must, of course, be made for the sanguine nature ofthe expectations formed by persons whose imaginations are dazzled bythe splendid visions of the future arising before them; still, enoughappears to have been demonstrated to justify a strong hope that thereare no serious difficulties in the way of our permanent occupation ofa place which we have succeeded in rescuing from Arab tyranny. It willbe long, perhaps, before the neighbouring sheikhs will consent to anamicable arrangement with the British authorities of Aden, for theyat present entertain the most exaggerated notions of the wealth of itsnew possessors.

The English, with their usual thoughtless improvidence, threw abouttheir money so carelessly, that, soon after their arrival, everyarticle of household consumption doubled and trebled in price,the remuneration for labour rising in proportion. This improvidentexpenditure has had the effect of making the people discontented.Imagining our resources to be inexhaustible, they do not know how muchto ask for their commodities or their services, and it will requiregreat firmness and discretion, on the part of the persons inauthority, to settle the fair price for both. The erection of newhouses, which are called for by nearly every fresh arrival, even intheir present light construction, serves very materially to enrich theinhabitants of Aden, the natural consequence being an increase of theindustrious portion of the population, while it may be confidentlyexpected that the commencement of superior works will attract asuperior class of persons to the place.

The present Resident is a strenuous advocate for the abolition of allduties, at least for a time; and should the representations madeby him, and other persons well acquainted with the character andresources of the surrounding countries, succeed in inducing theGovernment of India to render Aden a free port, it would soon becomethe queen of the adjacent seas. The town of Senna is only at thedistance of seven or eight days' journey for camels and merchandize.The coffee districts are actually nearer to it than to Mocha, andthe road equally safe and convenient; other large towns in Yemenare within an easy journey, and the rich and populous places in theprovince of Hydramut are open for its trade.

The mountains to the north of Aden produce gums, frankincense, andcoffee, which would soon find their way to so promising a market. Itsharbour being immediately to the north of Barbar, vessels during thenorth-eastern monsoon would reach it with the produce of Africa intwenty-four hours, returning with British and Indian produce in thesame time. All the exports of Hanall, and other large interior townson the opposite coast, consisting of coffee, gums, myrrh, hides,elephants' teeth, gold dust, ostrich feathers, &c, would be conveyedto Aden, to be exchanged for piece goods, chintzes, cutlery, and rice;all of which would find a ready market. The manufactures of Indiaand of Great Britain would thus be very extensively introduced, therebeing good reason to believe that they would be largely purchased inthe provinces of Yemen and Hydramut.

Amongst the great advantages which Aden possesses over Mocha, is thesituation of its harbour, which may be entered by a ship or boat atany period of the year, and quitted with the same facility: whereasits rival port is so difficult of access in the months of March,April, and May, that boats are sometimes six, seven, or eight daysgetting to the straits, a distance of forty miles only. These areconsiderations worthy of the attention of merchants, the length of thevoyage not being the sole source of annoyance, since vessels takingcargoes at Aden save the great wear and tear occasioned in theirreturn down the Red Sea.

Perhaps, considering the difficulty of conciliating the semi-barbaroustribes in the neighbourhood, the trade and population of Aden haveincreased as much as we could reasonably hope; but when peace shall atlength be established, it will doubtless attract merchants and Baniansfrom Surat, as well as all other adjacent places. If at this momentour expectations have not been completely answered, we have at leastthe satisfaction of knowing that, besides having saved the Red Seafrom the encroachments of the Pasha of Egypt, we have anticipateda rival power, which has already derived greater advantage from oursupineness, with regard to our Eastern possessions, than is desirable.

The Americans, during 1833-4-5, had a small squadron looking all aboutfor a spot which they could turn to good account. Socotra, from itsconvenient position between Africa and Arabia, proved a point ofattraction, and had not Capt. Haines, of the Indian Navy, promptlytaken possession, in the name of Great Britain, they would in allprobability have succeeded in effecting a settlement. With their usualattention to the interests of their commerce, the Americans have aresident permanently stationed at Zanzibar, and have made advantageousarrangements with the Imaum of Muscat, whereby the trade with theUnited States has greatly increased; American ships are constantlyarriving, with piece-goods, glass-ware, &c, and returning withprofitable cargoes, the produce of Africa.

The inhabitants of Aden appear to be a peaceable race, generally wellaffected to the government, from which they cannot fail to deriveadvantage. The Jews, as I have before mentioned, are the mostimportant, both in consequence of their number and of their superiorwealth; they belong to the tribe of Judah, and are very industrious,being the manufacturers of the place.

It is by the Jews and their families, the females assisting, that acoarse kind of cloth, employed for their own garments, and also soldto strangers, is spun and woven. This cloth is in much esteemamongst the Arabs: when prepared for them, it is dyed blue, sometimesornamented with red borders, indigo being employed, together withextracts from other plants. The women generally wear a single loosegarment, covering the head with a handkerchief when they leave thehouse; they do not, however, conceal their faces. Previous to theoccupation of Aden, the Jewesses were remarkable for the propriety oftheir manners, but as they are esteemed handsome, and moreover attractby their good temper and intelligence, it is to be feared that theywill meet with many temptations to depart from the decorum they havehitherto maintained. Like their sex and peculiar race, they arefond of ornaments, adorning themselves with large silver ear-rings,bracelets, necklaces, and armlets. Hitherto, whatever wealth theypossessed, they were obliged to conceal, the Arabs proving very severeand oppressive masters; their prospects are now brightening, and theyhave already shown a disposition to profit by the new order of things,having opened shops in the bazaar, and commenced trading in a way theynever ventured upon before.

Nor is it in spinning and weaving alone that the Jews of Aden excel;artizans in silver and copper are to be found amongst them, togetherwith stone-cutters, and other handicrafts-men. They have a school forthe education of their male youth, the females not having yet enjoyedthis advantage, in consequence of the intolerance of the Arabs, whoview with prejudiced eyes every attempt to emancipate women from thecondition to which they have been so long reduced.

The means of instruction possessed by the Jews of Aden are not veryextensive, a few printed Bibles and MS. extracts forming the wholeof their literature. It has been thought that missionaries would herefind a fair field for their exertions; but, unfortunately, the mostpromising places in the East are, by some mistake, either of ignoranceor ambition, left wholly destitute of Christian teachers. While thepledges of Government are compromised in India, and its stabilitythreatened, by the daring attempts to make converts at thepresidencies, and other considerable places, where success isattended with great noise and clamour, many portions of the Company'sterritories, in which much quiet good might be effected, are leftentirely without religious aid.

The Banians, though small in number, rank next to the Jews inimportance, and are, perhaps, more wealthy; they are not, however,so completely identified with the soil, for they do not bring theirfamilies with them when emigrating to Aden from the places of theirbirth. The greater number come from Cutch, arriving at an early periodof life, and with the craft that usually distinguishes them, studyingthe character of the Arabs, and making the most of it. They are notesteemed such good subjects to the new government as the Jews, theirexpectations of benefit from a change of masters, in consequence oftheir having proved the chief gainers heretofore, being less sanguine.

The Soomalees are natives of Barbora, and are in number about twohundred. They employ themselves in making baskets, mats, and fans,from the leaves of a species of palm-tree; they are not so active andindustrious as the Jews, but the younger portion, if brought up inEuropean families, might, with the advantage of good tuition, becomeuseful as servants and labourers. They are Mohamedans, but not verystrict, either in their religious or moral principles, violating oathssworn upon the _Koran_, and cheating and thieving whenever they can.The love of money, however, is a strong stimulus to improvement, andwhere it exists, or can be created, the case is far more hopeful thanwhen the wants and desires are both limited. The Soomalee women arereckoned handsome, though in that respect they cannot compare with theJewesses, their complexions being much darker and their hair coarse;they have tall, well-proportioned figures, and are as attentive totheir dress and appearance as their poverty will admit. The Arabs arethe least prepossessing of all the inhabitants of Aden, and it willbe long before any confidence can be placed in them. They religiouslyconceal their women, and are a bigoted, prejudiced race, disaffectedof course to the new government, and shy of intercourse with theBritish occupants.

That the hopes entertained of the prosperity of Aden have not beenmore speedily realized, may be attributed to the prevalent belief thatits new masters could not maintain their ground against the hostileArabs of the neighbourhood. It is the opinion of a competent judge,that, "as soon as the inhabitants of distant countries feel convincedthat our occupation of Aden is intended to be a _permanent_, and not atemporary measure, they will establish agencies there under our flag,in preference to any other, and open an extensive traffic." The sameauthority states that "it is the opinion of the Banians and Arabs,that Aden _will regain_ her former commercial renown."

With respect to the goods at present in requisition, or likely to meeta sale, at Aden, we learn from the report above quoted, that "of themanufactures of Europe, coloured handkerchiefs and hardware areonly in demand, though longcloths are procurable and are sometimespurchased by the Arabs; but these articles are priced so high, as toprevent any great consumption of them. From what I observed of theArab disposition and taste, I certainly believe that coloured cottongoods of _fast_ colours, and of patterns similar to those elsewherespecified, if offered at rates somewhat reasonable, would in a veryshort period meet with an extensive sale, and be rapidly introducedinto common use amongst the Arabs of the interior. The novelty of theexperiment would at first induce the Arabs to become purchasers, when,finding the articles _good_, it is but reasonable to anticipate anextensive demand. The colours should be particularly attended to, forthe certainty of obtaining goods of _fast colours_ would alone ensurethe articles in question a speedy sale. The handkerchiefs that havealready been introduced into Aden are of the worst sort relativeto colour, generally becoming after two or three washings white, ornearly so; thus it cannot be wondered at if these goods meet with buta poor demand."

The ravages committed by the army of the Pasha of Egypt, in thefertile districts of the neighbourhood of Aden, have been prejudicialto the interests of the new settlement, and perhaps so long as thehope of plunder can be entertained by the petty princes, who rulethe adjacent districts, they will be unwilling to wait for theslower advantages derivable from commerce. The apparently recklessexpenditure of the British residents, and the princely pay given tothe soldiers of the garrison, have offered so dazzling a prospectof gain, that they (the native chiefs) will have some difficulty inabandoning the hope of making themselves masters, at a single blow, ofall the treasure brought to their shores. It is said that some Turks,deserters from Mehemet Ali, who took refuge in Aden, upon being madeacquainted with the amount of pay given to the British troops, and theregularity with which it was issued, exclaimed, "God is great, and theEnglish are immortal!"

During the proper seasons, Aden is well supplied with fruit; its tradein honey and wax might become very important, the adjacent countriesyielding abundance of both, and of so fine a quality, as to competewith the produce of the hives of the Mediterranean. Drugs areprocurable in equal abundance, together with perfumes and spices. TheEuropean inhabitants are, of course, compelled to send to Bombayfor those luxuries which habit has rendered necessary; the constantcommunication with the presidency renders them easily procurable,while the intercourse with India and England, by means of thesteamers, relieves the monotony which would otherwise be severelyfelt.

I could have spent two or three days with great pleasure at Aden,inquiring into its early history, present condition, and futureprospects, and regretted much when a summons reached me to depart. Weentertained a hope that the steamer would come round and take us offat the northern point; however, we were obliged to return the way wecame. There are, and have been since its occupation, several Englishladies living at Aden, but whether they have not shown themselvessufficiently often to render their appearance familiar, or thecuriosity of the people is not easily satisfied, I cannot say; but Ifound myself an object of great attention to the women and children.

The sun having declined, the whole of the population of Aden seemed tobe abroad, and many well-dressed and good-looking women were seated onthe rude steps and broken walls of the stone houses before-mentioned.As they saw me smiling upon them, they drew nearer, salaamed, andlaughed in return, and appeared to examine my dress as closely asthe open doors of the palanquin would permit. Some of the very littlechildren turned away in horror from a white face, but the greaternumber seemed much pleased with the notice taken of them. Whilewaiting a few minutes for my party, my bearers wanted to drive themaway, but this I would not permit, and we carried on a very amicableintercourse by signs, both being apparently mutually delightedwith each other. Their vivacity and good-humour made a favourableimpression upon my mind, and I should like to have an opportunityof becoming better acquainted with them, feeling strongly tempted toproceed to Aden on my return to England in a sailing vessel, and awaitthere the arrival of a steamer to convey me up the Red Sea to Cosseiror to Suez.

I was offered a present of a milch-goat at Aden, but not being able toconsult with the captain of the _Berenice_ concerning its introductionon board, I did not like to allow the poor creature to run any riskof neglect. Its productiveness would soon have diminished on board asteamer, and it was so useful in a place like Aden, that I could notfeel justified in taking it away for my own gratification. I obtained,however, a bottle of milk, and when I got on board, having dinedearly, and being moreover exhausted with my journey, as I was onlyrecovering from an attack of fever, I wished to have some tea. Thiswas too great an indulgence to be granted by the petty authoritieswho ruled over the passengers. Unfortunately, upon leaving Suez, Ihad given away all my tea to my servant, Mohammed, who was fond of it,nothing doubting that I should be able to procure as much as I pleasedon board the steamer. The refusal was the more provoking, as there wasplenty of boiling water ready, and I had humbly limited my request toa spoonful of tea. Under the circumstances, I was obliged to contentmyself with milk and water: had the captain or the surgeon of thevessel been at hand, I should doubtless have been supplied with everything I wanted, but in their absence, it was impossible to procure asingle article. Upon one occasion, while tea was serving, a passengerin the saloon asked for a cup, and was told to go upon deck for it.

I also procured a supply of soda water at Aden. I had suffered muchfrom the want of this refreshing beverage during my fever, the supplytaken on board having been exhausted on the voyage up. The passengersdown the Red Sea have the disadvantage of sailing with exhaustedstores. It seems hardly fair to them, especially in cases of illness,that the whole of any particular article should be given to the peoplewho embark at Bombay, they having a right to expect that, as they paythe same price, a portion should be reserved for their use.

On the second day after our departure from Aden--that is, the 22ndof October--we arrived at Makallah. It was mid-day before the vesselceased to ply her engines, and though invited to go on shore, aswe could not penetrate beyond the walls of the town, we thought ituseless to exchange our cabins for a hot room in the mansion of itsruler. The town of Makallah, which forms the principal commercialdepot of the south-west of Arabia, is built upon a rocky platform ofsome length, but of very inconsiderable width, backed by a perfectwall of cliffs, and bounded in front by the sea. It seems tolerablywell built for an Arabian town, many of the houses being of a veryrespectable appearance, two or more stories in height, and ornamentedwith small turrets and cupolas: the nakib, or governor's residence, islarge, with a high square tower, which gives it the air of a citadel.

There is not a tree or shrub to be seen, the absence of vegetationinvesting the place with a character of its own, and one thatharmonizes with the bold and bare rocks which bound the coast oneither side. We were told that, between two ranges of hills close tothe entrance of the town, a beautiful green valley occurred, wateredby delicious springs, and shaded by date-trees. Had we arrived atan early period of the morning, we might have spent the day on thisdelightful place, proceeding to it on the backs of camels or donkeys,or even on foot; but it being impossible to get thither while thesun was in full power, we were obliged to content ourselves with adescription of its beauties.

Although a very good understanding exists between our Government andthat of Makallah, which has for some time been a depot of coal for theuse of the steamers, it is not advisable for visitors to proceed veryfar from the town without protection. A midshipman belonging to theIndian navy having gone on shore for the purpose of visiting thevalley before-mentioned, and straying away to some distance, attractedby the beauty of the scenery, was suddenly surrounded by a party ofBedouins, who robbed him of all he possessed, cutting off the buttonsfrom his clothes, under the idea that they were of gold--an impressionwhich obtains all over the coast, and which inspired the people whomade the last assault upon Aden with the hope of a rich booty.

The population of Makallah is estimated at about 4,600 people, ofvarious tribes and countries, the chief portion being either of theBeni Hassan and Yafai tribes, together with Banians, Kurachies, andemigrants from nearly all parts of the adjacent coasts. It carrieson rather a considerable trade in gums, hides, and drugs, which, withcoffee, form the exports, receiving in return iron, lead, manufacturedcloths, earthenware, and rice, from Bombay, and all the productions ofthe neighbouring countries, slaves included, in which the traffic issaid to be very great.

The gentlemen who went on shore purchased very pretty and convenientbaskets, wrought in various colours, and also quantities ofsweetmeats, which are much in esteem in India; these are composed ofhoney and flour, delicately made, the honey being converted into asoft kind of paste, with a coating of the flour on the outside.These sweetmeats were nicely packed in straw baskets, of a differentmanufacture from those before-mentioned, and were very superior tothe common sort which is brought from the coast in small coarseearthenware basins, exceedingly unattractive in their appearance.

The interior of the country is said to be very beautiful, abundantlywatered by refreshing springs, and shaded by groves of date-trees.Amongst its animal productions, the most beautiful is the gazelle,which, properly speaking, is only to be found in Arabia; a delicateand lovely creature, with the soft black eye which has been from timeimmemorial the theme of poets. The gazelle is easily tamed, becomingin a short time very familiar, and being much more gentle, as well asmore graceful, than the common antelope. Its movements are the mostairy and elegant imaginable. It is fond of describing a circle ina succession of bounds, jumping off the ground on four legs, andtouching it lightly as it wheels round and round. At other times, itpirouettes upon the two fore feet, springing round at the same timelike an opera-dancer; in fact, it would appear as if Taglioni, and allour most celebrated _artistes_, had taken lessons from the gazelle,so much do their _chefs-d'oeuvre_ resemble its graceful motions.When domesticated, the gazelle loves to feed upon roses, delightingapparently in the scent as well as the taste. It is the fashion in theEast to add perfume to the violet, and I found these gazelles wouldeat with much zest roses that had been plentifully sprinkled withtheir extract, the _goolabee paanee_, so greatly in request. Thegazelle is also very fond of crisply-toasted bread, a taste which mustbe acquired in domestication. It is a courageous animal, and will comereadily to the assault, butting fiercely when attacked. In taking agazelle away from Arabia, it should be carefully guarded against coldand damp, and if not provided with water-proof covering to its feet,would soon die if exposed to the wet decks of a ship.

We had lost at Aden our fellow-passenger, whom I have mentioned ashaving assumed the Turkish dress for the purpose of penetratinginto the interior of Abyssinia. He depended, in a great measure, forcomfort and safety, upon two native priests, whom he had brought withhim from Cairo, and who, in return for his liberality, had promisedall the protection and assistance in their power. He left us withthe good wishes of all the party, and not without some fears in thebreasts of those who contemplated the hazards which he ran. Young andgood-looking, he had, with pardonable, but perhaps dangerous, vanity,studied the becoming in his costume, which was composed of the veryfinest materials. His long outer garment, of a delicate woollentexture, was lined throughout with silk, and the crimson cap, whichhe wore upon his head, was converted into a turban by a piece of goldmuslin wound round it. He expected nothing less than to be plunderedand stripped of this fine apparel, and it will be well for him shouldhe escape with life. The adventure and the romance of the undertakingpossessed great charms, and he talked, after spending some years ina wild and wandering career, of sitting down quietly in his paternalhalls, introducing as many of the Egyptian customs as would betolerated in a Christian country.

A short residence in Cairo proves very captivating to many Englishmen;they like the independent sort of life which they lead; their perfectfreedom from all the thralls imposed by society at home, and, whentired of dreaming away existence after the indolent fashion ofthe East, plunge into the surrounding deserts, and enjoy all theexcitement attendant upon danger. Numerous anecdotes were related tome of the hardships sustained by young English travellers, who, led bythe spirit of adventure, had trusted themselves to the Bedouins, and,though escaping with life, had suffered very severely from hunger,thirst, and fatigue. I have no reason to doubt the veracity of one ofthese enterprising tourists, who assured me that he had passed throughthe holy city of Mecca. According to his account, he had made friendswith an Arab boy, who offered to afford him a glimpse of the city,provided he would consent to pass rapidly through it, at an early hourin the morning. Accordingly, disguised in Mohamedan garb, and mountedupon a camel, they entered and quitted it at opposite ends, withoutexciting curiosity or remark. Of course, he could see nothing but theexterior of the houses and mosques, only obtaining a partial view ofthese; but, considering the difficulty and peril of the undertaking,the pleasure of being able to say that he had succeeded in anachievement which few would be daring enough to attempt, was worthrunning some risks.

Notwithstanding the intolerant spirit generally manifested by theArabs, those English strangers who embrace their way of life for atime frequently attach them very strongly to their persons, obtainingconcessions from them which could scarcely be expected from apeople so bigoted in their religious opinions, and entertaining socontemptible an opinion of those who are followers of other creeds. Inspite of the faults of his character--for he is frequently deceitful,treacherous, cruel, and covetous--the Arab of the desert is usuallymuch respected by the dwellers in towns. His independent spiritis admired by those who could not exist without the comforts andconveniences of life, which he disdains. It is no uncommon sight,either at Cairo or Alexandria, to see a handsome young Bedouin,splendidly attired, lodging in the open street by the side of hiscamel, for nothing will persuade him to sleep in a house; hecarries the habits of the desert into the city, and in the midst ofcongregated thousands, dwells apart.

We, who merely crossed the desert from Cairo to Suez, could formlittle idea of the pleasures which a longer sojourn and more extendedresearches would afford--the poetry of the life which the Arab leads.Nothing, I was told, could exceed the enjoyments of the night, when,after a day of burning heat, the cool breezes came down from elevatedvalleys, occurring between the ranges of hills which I had observedwith so much interest. This balmy air brings with it perfumes waftedfrom sweet-scented flowers, which spring spontaneously in the greenspots known to the gazelle, who repairs to them to drink. Althoughthe dews are heavy, the Arab requires no more protection than thatafforded by his blanket, and he lies down under the most gloriouscanopy, the broad vault of heaven with its countless spangles, noartificial object intervening throughout the large circle of that widehorizon. Here, his ablutions, prayers, and evening-meal concluded,he either sinks into profound repose, or listens to the tales ofhis companions, of daring deeds and battles long ago, or the equallyinteresting though less exciting narratives of passing events; somelove-story between persons of hostile tribes, or the affection of abetrothed girl for a stranger, and its melancholy consequences.

Notwithstanding the slight estimation in which the sex is held by thefierce and jealous Arab--jealous more from self-love than from anyregard to the object that creates this feeling--there is still much ofthe romantic to be found in his domestic history. English travellers,who have acquired a competent knowledge of the language, may collectmaterials for poems as tragical and touching as those which Lord Byronloved to weave. I could relate several in this place, picked up by myfellow-travellers, but as they may at some period or other desireto give them to the public themselves, it would be scarcely fair toanticipate their intention.

We now began to look out with some anxiety for the arrival of thesteamer at Bombay, speculating upon the chances of finding friendsable to receive us. As we drew nearer and nearer, the recollection ofthe good hotels which had opened their hospitable doors for us inthe most unpromising places, caused us to lament over the absence ofsimilar establishments at the scene of our destination. Bombay hasbeen aptly denominated the landing-place of India; numbers of personswho have no acquaintance upon the island pass through it on their wayto Bengal, or to the provinces, and if arriving by the Red Sea, aretotally unprovided with the means of making themselves comfortable inthe tents that may be hired upon their landing.

A tent, to a stranger in India, appears to be the most forlornresidence imaginable, and many cannot be reconciled to it, evenafter long custom. To those, however, who do not succeed in obtaininginvitations to private houses, a tent is the only resource. It seemsscarcely possible that the number of persons, who are obliged tolive under canvas on the Esplanade, would not prefer apartments at arespectable hotel, if one should be erected for the purpose; yet itis said that such an establishment would not answer. Bombay can neverobtain the pre-eminence over Calcutta, which it is so anxious toaccomplish, until it will provide the accommodation for visitors whichthe City of Palaces has afforded during several years past. Howeveragreeable the overland journey may be, it cannot be performed withoutconsiderable fatigue.

The voyage down the Red Sea, in warm weather especially, occasionsa strong desire for rest; even those persons, therefore, who are sofortunate as to be carried off to friends' houses, immediately upontheir arrival, would much prefer the comfort and seclusion of ahotel, for the first day or two at least. The idea of going amongststrangers, travel-soiled and travel-worn, is anything but agreeable,more particularly with the consciousness that a week's baths willscarcely suffice to remove the coal-dust collected in the steamers ofthe Red Sea: for my own part, I contemplated with almost equal alarmthe prospect of presenting myself immediately upon the termination ofmy voyage, or of being left, on the charge of eight rupees _per diem_,to the tender mercies of the vessel.

We entered the harbour of Bombay in the evening of the 29th ofOctober, too late to contemplate the beauty of its scenery, therebeing unfortunately no moon. As soon as we dropped anchor, a scene ofbustle and excitement took place. The boxes containing the mails wereall brought upon deck, the vessel was surrounded with boats, and thefirst news that greeted our ears--news that was communicated withgreat glee--was the damage done by fire to the _Atalanta_ steamer.This open manifestation, by the officers of the Indian navy, ofdislike to a service to which they belong, is, to say the least of it,ill-judged. A rapid increase in the number of armed steam-vessels maybe calculated upon, while the destruction of half of those at presentemployed would scarcely retard the progress of this mighty power--apower which may alter the destinies of half the world. The hostility,therefore, of persons who cannot hope by their united opposition toeffect the slightest change in the system, becomes contemptible.

It is a wise proverb which recommends us not to show our teeth unlesswe can bite. To expose the defects of steamers, may produce theirremedy; but to denounce them altogether, is equally useless andunwise, since, however inconvenient they may be, no person, withwhom despatch is an object, will hesitate to prefer them to asailing-vessel; while every officer, who takes the Queen's or theCompany's pay, should consider it to be his duty to uphold the servicewhich tends to promote the interests of his country.

CHAPTER IX.

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BOMBAY.

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Contrast between landing at Bombay and at Calcutta--First feelings those of disappointment--Aspect of the place improves--Scenery of the Island magnificent, abounding with fine Landscapes--Luxuriance and elegance of the Palms--Profusion and contrast of the Trees--Multitude of large Houses in Gardens--Squalid, dirty appearance of the Native Crowd--Costume of the Natives--Inferior to the Costume of Bengal--Countenances not so handsome--The Drive to the Fort--The Burrah Bazaar--Parsee Houses--"God-shops" of the Jains--General use of Chairs amongst the Natives--Interior of the Native Houses--The Sailors' Home--The Native Town--Improvements--The Streets animated and picturesque--Number of Vehicles--The Native Females--The Parsee Women--The Esplanade--Tents and Bungalows--The Fort--The China Bazaar--A Native School--Visit to a Parsee Warehouse--Seal ornamental China-ware--Apprehension of Fire in the Fort--Houses fired by Rats--Illumination of Native Houses--Discordant noise of Native Magic--The great variety of Religions in Bombay productive of lamp-lighting and drumming.

The bunder, or pier, where passengers disembark upon their arrival inBombay, though well-built and convenient, offers a strong contrastto the splendours of Chandpaul Ghaut in Calcutta; neither are thebunder-boats at all equal in elegance to the budgerows, bohlias, andother small craft, which we find upon the Hooghley. There is nothingto indicate the wealth or the importance of the presidency to beseen at a glance; the Scottish church, a white-washed building of nopretensions, being the most striking object from the sea. Landward, arange of handsome houses flank so dense a mass of buildings, occupyingthe interior of the Fort, as to make the whole appear more like afortified town than a place of arms, as the name would denote. Thetower of the cathedral, rising in the centre, is the only feature inthe scene which boasts any architectural charm; and the Esplanade,a wide plain, stretching from the ramparts to the sea, is totallydestitute of picturesque beauty.

The first feelings, therefore, are those of disappointment, and itis not until the eye has been accustomed to the view, that it becomespleased with many of the details; the interest increasing with thedevelopment of other and more agreeable features, either not seen atall, or seen through an unfavourable medium. The aspect of the placeimproved, as, after crossing the Esplanade or plain, the carriagedrove along roads cut through palm-tree woods, and at length, when Ireached my place of destination, I thought that I had never seen anything half so beautiful.

The apartments which, through the kindness of hospitable friends, Icalled my own, commanded an infinite variety of the most magnificentscenery imaginable. To the left, through a wide vista between twohills, which seemed cleft for the purpose of admitting the view, laythe placid waters of the ocean, land-locked, as it were, by thebold bluff of distant islands, and dotted by a fairy fleet offishing-boats, with their white sails glittering in the sun. In front,over a beautifully-planted fore-ground, I looked down upon a perfectsea of palms, the taller palmyras lifting their proud heads above therest, and all so intermingled with other foliage, as to produce therichest variety of hues. This fine wood, a spur of what may be termeda forest further to the right, skirted a broad plain which stretchedout to the beach, the bright waters beyond expanding and meltinginto the horizon, while to the right it was bounded by a hilly ridgefeathered with palm-trees, the whole bathed in sunshine, and formingaltogether a perfect Paradise.

Every period of the day, and every variation in the state of theatmosphere, serve to bring out new beauties in this enchanting scene;and the freshness and delicious balm of the morning, the gorgeoussplendour of mid-day, the crimson and amber pomps of evening, and thepale moonlight, tipping every palm-tree top with silver, produce anendless succession of magical effects. In walking about the garden andgrounds of this delightful residence, we are continually findingsome new point from which the view appears to be more beautiful thanbefore. Upon arriving at the verge of the cleft between the two hills,we look down from a considerable elevation over rocky precipitousground, with a village (Mazagong) skirting the beach, while theprospect, widening, shows the whole of the harbour, with the highghauts forming the back-ground.

Turning to the other side, behind the hill which shuts out the sea,the landscape is of the richest description--roads winding throughthick plantations, houses peeping from embowering trees, and anumbrageous forest beyond. The whole of Bombay abounds with landscapeswhich, if not equal to that from Chintapooglee Hill, which I have,vainly I fear, attempted to describe, boast beauties peculiarly theirown, the distinguishing feature being the palm-tree. It is impossibleto imagine the luxuriance and elegance of this truly regal family asit grows in Bombay, each separate stage, from the first appearanceof the different species, tufting the earth with those stately crownswhich afterwards shoot up so grandly, being marked with beauty. Thevariety of the foliage of the coco-nut, the brab, and others,the manner of their growth, differing according to the differentdirections taken, and the exquisite grouping which continually occurs,prevent the monotony which their profusion might otherwise create,the general effect being, under all circumstances, absolutely perfect.Though the principal, the palm is far from being the only tree, andwhile frequently forming whole groves, it is as frequently blendedwith two species of cypress, the peepul, mango, banian, wild cinnamon,and several others.

In addition to the splendour of its wood and water, Bombay isembellished by fragments of dark rock, which force themselves throughthe soil, roughening the sides of the hills, and giving beauty tothe precipitous heights and shelving beach. Though the island iscomparatively small, extensively cultivated and thickly inhabited,it possesses its wild and solitary places, its rains deeply seatedin thick forests, and its lonely hills covered with rock, and thinlywooded by the eternal palm-tree; hills which, in consequence ofthe broken nature of the ground, and their cavernous recesses, aredifficult of access. It is in these fastnesses that the hyenas findsecure retreats, and the Parsees construct their "towers of silence."

There is little, or indeed nothing, in the scenery that comes underthe denomination of jungle, the island being intersected in everypart with excellent roads, macadamized with the stone that aboundsso conveniently for the purpose. These roads are sometimes skirted bywalls of dark stone, which harmonize well with the trees thatnever fail to spread their shade above; at others, with beautifulhedge-rows, while across the flats and along the Esplanade, awater-course or a paling forms the enclosures.

The multitude of large houses, each situated in the midst of gardensor ornamented grounds, gives a very cheerful appearance to the roadsof Bombay; but what the stranger on his first arrival in India issaid to be most struck with is, the number and beauty of thenative population. Probably, had I never seen Bengal, I mighthave experienced similar delight and astonishment; but with therecollections of Calcutta fresh in my mind, I felt disappointed.

Accustomed to multitudes of fine-looking well-dressed people, withtheir ample and elegant drapery of spotless white muslin, I could nothelp contrasting them with the squalid, dirty appearance of thenative crowd of Bombay. Nor is it so easy at first to distinguish thevarieties of the costume through the one grand characteristic of dirt;nor, with the exception of the peculiar Parsee turban, which is veryugly, the Persian cap, and the wild garb of the Arab, do they differso widely as I expected. For instance; the Hindus and Mohamedans arenot so easily recognized as in Bengal. The vest in ordinary wear,instead of being fitted tightly to the figure, and having thatpeculiarly elegant cut which renders it so graceful, seems nothingmore than a loose bed-gown, coarse in materials and tasteless inshape: this forms the most common costume. The higher classes ofParsees wear an ample and not unbecoming dress; the upper garmentof white cambric muslin fits tightly to the waist, where it is boundround with a sash or cummurbund of white muslin; it then descends inan exceedingly full skirt to the feet, covering a pair of handsomesilk trowsers. A Parsee group, thus attired, in despite of their meanand unbecoming head-dress, make a good appearance.

The Arabs wear handkerchiefs or shawls, striped with red, yellow, andblue, bound round their heads, or hanging in a fanciful manner overtheir turbans. The Persian dress is grave and handsome, and thereare, besides, Nubians, Chinese, and many others; but the well-dressedpeople must be looked for in the carriages, few of the samedescription are to be seen on foot, which gives to a crowd in Bengalso striking an appearance. In fact, a Bengallee may be recognized ata glance by his superior costume, and in no place is the contrast moreremarkable than in the halls and entrances of Anglo-Indian houses. Theservants, if not in livery--and it is difficult to get them towear one, the dignity of caste interfering--are almost invariablyill-dressed and slovenly in their appearance. We see none of thebeautifully plaited and unsullied white turbans; none of the finemuslin dresses and well-folded cummurbunds; the garments beingcoarse, dirty, scanty, and not put on to advantage. Neither are thecountenances so handsome or the forms so fine; for though a veryconsiderable degree of beauty is to be found of person and featureamid many classes of Parsees, Jews, Hindus, and Mohamedans, it is notso general as in Bengal, where the features are usually so finely cut,and the eyes so splendid.

Nevertheless, although my admiration has never been so stronglyexcited, and I was in the first instance greatly disappointed, everytime I go abroad I become more reconciled to this change, and moregratified by the various objects which attract my attention; and thereare few things that please me more than a drive to the Fort.

It is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to convey any idea ofthe lively scene which is presented in this excursion, or the greatvariety of features which it embraces. Enclosures sprinkled over withpalm-trees, and filled with a herd of buffaloes, occur close to afarm-house, which looks absolutely English; then we come to acluster of huts of the most miserable description, occupying some lowsituation, placed absolutely on the ground, and scantily thatched withpalm branches; stately mansions now arise to view, and then there isa row of small but apparently comfortable dwellings, habitations beingthickly scattered over fields and gardens, until we reach what hasbeen denominated the Black Town, but which is now generally known asthe Burrah Bazaar. This is now a broad street, and, without exception,one of the most curious places I have ever beheld. It is said to havebeen much improved during late administrations, and, forming the highroad to the Fort, is the avenue most frequented in the native townby Europeans. The buildings on either side are very irregular, and ofvarious descriptions; some consist of ranges of small shops, witha story above in a very dilapidated and tumble-down condition. Thencomes a row of large mansions of three floors, which look very muchlike the toy baby-houses constructed for children in England, thewindows being so close together, and the interiors so public;others intervene, larger, more solid, and irregular, but exceedinglypicturesque.

Most of the better kind of houses are ascended by a flight ofsteps, which leads to a sort of verandah, formed by the floor aboveprojecting over it, and being supported by wooden pillars or otherframe-work in front. In the Parsee houses of this kind, there isusually a niche in this lower portion for a lamp, which is kept alwaysburning. In some places, the houses are enclosed in courtyards, andat others a range of dwellings, not very unlike the alms-houses inEngland, are divided from the road by a low wall, placed a few yardsin the front, and entered at either end by gateways. These houses havea very comfortable appearance, and the shading of a few palm-treescompletes a rather pretty picture. There are two mosques, one oneither side of this street, which are handsomely constructed, andwould be great embellishments to the scene, were they not so painfullywhiter-washed.

A peculiar class of Hindus, the Jains, have also what have not beeninappropriately termed "god-shops," for they certainly have not theslightest appearance of temples. These pagodas, if they may be sostyled, are nothing more than large houses, of three floors, withbalconies running in front, the heavy wooden frame-work that supportsthem being painted a dark dingy red, and the walk adorned withrepresentations of deities, executed in a variety of colours, and ofthe most nondescript character. The interiors appear to be decoratedin the same manner, as they are seen through the open windows and bythe light of many lamps suspended from the ceilings. The ringingof bells, and the full attendance of priests and worshippers of anevening, show the purpose to which these houses are dedicated, andsuperstition is here exhibited in its most revolting aspect, for thereis no illusion to cheat the fancy--no beautiful sequestered pagoda,with its shadowing trees and flower-strewed courts, to excite poeticalideas--all being coarse, vulgar, and contemptible.

Great numbers of artizans are to be seen at work in their respectiveshops in this bazaar, copper-smiths particularly, who seem anindustrious race, toiling by lamp-light long after the day hascompletely closed. There are also _caravanserais_ and _cafes_, wherethe country and religion of the owner may be known by the guestscongregated about his gate. Groups of Persians are seen seated on theoutside smoking; the beautiful cats, which they have brought downfor sale, sporting at their feet. A few yards farther on, the Arabhorse-dealers, in front of their stables, are equally conspicuous, andit is easy to perceive, by the eager glances with which some of thesemen survey the English carriages bearing fair freights of ladiesalong, that they have never visited an European settlement before.

My former visit to India enabling me to observe the differencesbetween two of our presidencies, I was particularly struck, on myarrival at Bombay, with the general use of chairs among the natives;none but the very meanest description of houses seem to be entirelydestitute of an article of furniture scarcely known in the nativehabitations of Bengal; and these seats seem to be preferred tothe more primitive method of squatting on the ground, whichstill prevails, the number of chairs in each mansion being rathercircumscribed, excepting in the best houses, where they abound. Sofasand divans, though seen, are not so common as in Egypt, and perhapsthe divan, properly speaking, is not very usual.

The cheapness of oil, and in all probability the example shown by theParsees, render lamps very abundant. The common kind of hall-lamp ofEngland, of different sizes and different colours, is the prevailingarticle; these are supplied with a tumbler half-filled with water,having a layer of oil upon the top, and two cotton-wicks. As I loseno opportunity whatever of looking into the interiors of the nativehouses, I have been often surprised to see one of these lampssuspended in a very mean apartment of a cottage, boasting few otherarticles of furniture, which, nevertheless, in consequence of itscleanliness, and the excellence of the light afforded, possessedan air of comfort. In fact, many of the houses, whose exteriors areanything but promising, are very well fitted up in the inside; manyof the apartments are panelled with wood, handsomely carved, and haveceilings and floors of the same, either painted of a dark colour, orhighly polished. In the evening, the windows being all open, and thelamps lighted, a foil view may be obtained of these apartments.

Many of the houses appear to be kept entirely for show, since inall my peregrinations I have never seen any human being in the upperchambers, although illuminated every night. In others, there can beno doubt concerning the fact of their having inhabitants, since theowners do not scruple to go to bed with the windows open and the lampsburning, not disturbed in their repose by the certainty of being seenby every passer-by, or by the noise and bustle of the street.

The bazaar ends at the commencement of the Esplanade, in a largebuilding, wooden-fronted, of a circular form, and not unhandsome,which is decorated with a flag upon the roof, and is called "TheSailors' Home." Its verandahs and open windows often display ourjovial tars enjoying themselves in an asylum which, though evil hasbeen spoken against it, is said to be well-conducted, and to prevent avery thoughtless class of persons from falling into worse hands.

The native town extends considerably on either side of the principalavenue, one road leading through the coco-nut gardens, presenting agreat variety of very interesting features; that to the left is moredensely crowded, there being a large and well-frequented cloth bazaar,besides a vast number of shops and native houses, apparently ofconsiderable importance. Here the indications shown of wealth andindustry are exceedingly gratifying to an eye delighting in the sightof a happy and flourishing population. There are considerable spacesof ground between these leading thoroughfares, which, by occasionalpeeps down intersecting lanes, seem to be covered with a huddledconfusion of buildings, and, until the improvements which haverecently taken place, the whole of the town seems to have been nearlyin the same state.

The processes of widening, draining, pulling down, and rebuilding,appear to have been carried on very extensively; and though much,perhaps, remains to be done in the back settlements, where buffaloesmay be seen wading through the stagnant pools, the eye is seldomoffended, or the other senses disagreeably assailed, in passingthrough this populous district. The season is, however, so favourable,the heat being tempered by cool airs, which render the sunshineendurable, that Bombay, under its present aspect, may be verydifferent from the Bombay of the rains or of the very hot weather. Thecontinual palm-trees, which, shooting up in all directions, add graceand beauty to every scene, must form terrible receptacles for malaria;the fog and mist are said to cling to their branches and hang roundthem like a cloud, when dispersed by sun or wind elsewhere; the veryidea suggesting fever and ague.

Though, as I have before remarked, the contrast between the muslinedmillions of Bengal and the less tastefully clad populace of Bombay isunfavourable, still the crowds that fill the streets here are animatedand picturesque. There is a great display of the liveliest colours,the turbans being frequently of the brightest of yellows, crimsons, orgreens.

The number of vehicles employed is quite extraordinary, those of themerely respectable classes being chiefly bullock-carts; these are ofvarious descriptions, the greater number being of an oblong square,and furnished with seats across (after the fashion of our taxedcarts), in which twelve persons, including women and children, arefrequently accommodated. It is most amusing to see the quantity ofheads squeezed close together in a vehicle of this kind, and thevarious contrivances resorted to in order to accommodate a more thansufficient number of personages in other conveyances, not so wellcalculated to hold them. Four in a buggy is a common complement, andsix or nine persons will cram themselves into so small a space, thatyou wonder how the vehicle can possibly contain the bodies of all theheads seen looking out of it. The carts are chiefly open, but thereare a few covered _rhuts_, the conveyances probably of rich Hindu orMohamedan ladies, who do not content themselves, like the Parsees,with merely covering their heads with the veil.

Young Parsee women of the better class are frequently to be seen incarriages with their male relations, nor do they object to appearpublicly in the streets following wedding processions. They are theonly well-dressed or nice-looking women who drive or walk about thestreets or roads. The lower classes of females in Bombay are the mostunprepossessing people I ever saw. In Bengal, the _saree_, thoughrather too scanty, is a graceful costume, and at a little distanceappears to be a modest covering. Here it is worn very differently, andwithout the slightest attempt at delicacy or grace, the drapery beingin itself insufficient, and rendered more offensive by the method ofits arrangement.

The Parsee women are, generally speaking, of fair complexions, withsmall features, and a very sweet expression of countenance; manyof them are exceedingly pretty, and they all dress gracefully andbecomingly. Very respectable females of this class are to be seenwalking about, showing by their conduct that propriety of behaviourdoes not consist in seclusion, or the concealment of the face.

There is an innate delicacy and refinement about Parsee women whichcommands respect, and their value is known and acknowledged bytheir male relatives, who treat them with a degree of deference andconsideration which is highly creditable to both parties. Though themen are found in service in every European family, they do not allowtheir wives and daughters to become domestics to foreigners, and theyare only permitted to become servants to their own people. The higherclasses of natives have adopted European equipages, and are the ownersof the handsomest carriages and horses in Bombay. Chariots, barouches,britschkas, and buggies, appear in great numbers, filled withMohamedan, Hindu, or Parsee gentlemen. The less fashionable use thepalanquin carriage, common in Bengal, but which at this place iscalled a _shigram_; these are often crammed full of servants andchildren.

Upon emerging from the bazaar, we enter upon the wide plain called theEsplanade. To the left, across an extensive parade-ground, appears theFort, which is seen to the best advantage from this point; the wallsare low, and afford an ample view of a range of three-storied houses,having verandahs all the way up, called Rampart Row, and from whichone or two very splendid mansions stand out conspicuously. To theright, there is a whole encampment of tents, these canvas dwellingsbeing the sole refuge for the destitute. They may be hired in anynumber and of every degree of elegance, none, however, quite reachingto the refinements of Bengal, or being supplied with glass doors andwindows. Beyond the tents, and quite close to the beach, is thespace allotted for the temporary bungalows erected during the coldseason--singular places, which will be more fully described under thehead of Anglo-Indian residences. In front, and close to the warf orbunder, are immense irregular piles of cotton in bales, which at adistance appear like fortifications, and upon a nearer approach assumesomewhat of a picturesque air.

The Fort is surrounded on the land-side with a moat, and is enteredthrough some very shabby gateways. The interior of this extensive workpresents a busy, bustling scene; its numerous houses being arrangedwith some degree of regularity in streets and open places. Thosewho content themselves, however, with driving through the Europeanportion, will have very little idea of the true character of theplace. Rampart Row--the avenues leading into a large open space, inwhich stand the cathedral, the town-hall, the mint, a cavalrybarrack, &c.--and the immediate environs, are composed of lofty,well-constructed houses, some standing a little apart in courtyards,and others with a narrow platform in front, ascended by steps, androofed by the story above. This, as I have previously stated, is thegeneral method of building in Bombay. These streets have somewhat ofan European, though not an English, air, but are for the most parttenanted by natives, who may be seen at the windows of every floor,and who apparently are better lodged, at least according to our idea,than the same class in Calcutta. In this part of the Fort thereare several shops, or rather warehouses, for the sale of Europeangoods--dingy places, having a melancholy assortment of faded articlesin dim glass cases, freshness and variety in the merchandize dependingupon shipping arrivals.

Earthenware, glass, and cutlery, are abundant; but, altogether, thereis nothing at present to compare with the first-rate establishments ofCalcutta--such as Tulloh's, for instance--the whole style being dirtyand slovenly. A very civil native, named Muncherjee, who callshimself a milliner, has, I am informed, very frequently well-choseninvestments to dispose of, but upon my visits I have seen nothingwearable in the shape of bonnets and caps. An English milliner residesin his neighbourhood, who possesses both skill and taste, and makesup her silks and gauzes after the best French models; but necessarily,perhaps, the purchases made at her rooms are rather expensive.

There is quite enough of bustle and animation in this quarter of theFort to engage the attention, but it seems silent and deserted whencompared with the crowd of the more exclusively native portions.Here the streets literally swarm with life--men, women, children, andbullocks, filling them almost to suffocation. Ranges of open shopsappear on each side, raised a foot or two from the ground, theoccupant being seated upon a ledge in front, in the midst ofhis wares. Here, too, immense quantities of English glass andcrockery-ware are exhibited, which may be purchased at a much cheaperrate than in shops styled, _par distinction_, European.

One or two opportunities offering for a visit to what is called theChina Bazaar, I gladly availed myself of them, and was much amused,as the carriage made its slow way through the multitudes that throngedthe streets, to observe the employments of the people, buying,selling, manufacturing their goods, or, for want of something else todo, dragging little children in carts, which, by some contrivance, ranback across the floor of the narrow apartment, and were then impelledforward again by means of a string. This I found to be a favouriteoccupation, and I never in any place saw more fondness manifestedtowards children by their parents than in Bombay, or a greater desireto associate them in all their amusements. At length, the carriagestopped at a gateway, and upon alighting, I found myself in the midstof a crowd of little children--an infant school, in fact, composedindiscriminately of boys and girls. They were, generally speaking,very pretty, and all well-dressed, many being adorned with veryhandsome jewels.

The pedagogue--a Parsee, and rather a young man--with the barbaritycommon to his class, was in the act of inflicting corporal punishmentupon a poor little creature, whom he beat upon the feet (ornamented,by the way, with rich anclets) with a rod of split bamboo. I commandedhim to forbear, but speaking half in English and half in Hindustanee,made myself better understood by look and gesture than by words. Theunhappy infant seemed to know that I interfered in its behalf, forit gazed upon me with a piteous but grateful expression; it could nothave been more than three years old, and was really very prettyand interesting in its tears. It was evidently the child of wealthyparents, being dressed in a silk shirt embroidered and trimmed withsilver, a cap of the same upon its head, and numerous jewels besides.The whole of the Lilliputian assembly uttered their lesson as Ipassed, all raising their voices at the same time, and rendering it, Iimagine, rather difficult to determine whether each pupil repeated hisor her part correctly.

I would fain have lingered for a few minutes, but my attendantsofficiously showing the way, I walked across a paved yard and up twoflights of steps to the shop of which I came in search, which was keptby a good-looking Parsee. The trade of this person was designatedas that of a _bottlee wallah_, which being literally rendered means'bottle-fellow,' but, according to a more free translation, a dealerin glass, lamps, candlesticks, preserved meats in tin-cases, &c. &c.I found a vast stock of the articles most in request in Indianhousekeeping, such as wall-shades, and all descriptions of earthen andhard-ware, all of which he sold at very moderate prices, but havingexecuted the part of my commission which related to candlesticks, Iwas unable to find the more _recherche_ articles of which I came inquest.

I had been told that a great variety of ornamental china, the realproduct of the Celestial Empire, was to be seen in the native shopsin Bombay. Though showy in appearance, this sort of china is of littlevalue, except to mark how much the manufacture has degenerated sinceEuropeans have learned to make their own teacups. I wished to obtaina few specimens, but could not succeed. My friend, the bottlee wallah,though very civil, could not afford me the information I required,nor have I yet been able to obtain it. I have seen some handsome jars,plates such as are used in England for the deposit of visitors' cards,&c., which were purchased for a few annas, and have been told thatI might procure any quantity I pleased, but the where is still amystery.

All the information obtainable in Bombay must be fished out in anextraordinary manner, both natives and Europeans seeming to make it arule never to commit themselves by a direct reply to any question;in every single instance, up to the present time, I have always, uponmaking an inquiry, been referred to somebody else. Neither do Ifind the same zeal manifested in the servants, which amounts toofficiousness on the other side of India. I have sent them to purchasethe china, but can get nothing but rubbish, knowing all the while thatthere are plenty of a better description to be had.

Upon my return, the bottlee wallah accompanied me to the carriage inwaiting, and as I paused to notice some of the children in the school,introduced me to a group of his own sons and daughters, well deckedout in jewels, and otherwise richly dressed. The instruction given atthese schools I understood to be merely oral, the repetition of a fewverses, intended rather to pass away the time and keep the childrenout of mischief, than as a foundation of more useful studies. Ihope that the system will be improved, for the pupils seemed to beextremely intelligent, and capable of better things.

Returning home, I passed several shops, in which the artizans of avery beautiful manufacture, peculiar to Bombay, were at work. Desks,dressing-cases, work-boxes, card-cases, ink-stands, and a variety ofother ornamental fancy articles, are made of sandal-wood, covered andinlaid with ivory, ebony, and a material resembling silver. They copythe best patterns, and produce exceedingly elegant appendages forthe drawing or dressing-room tables. A desk, handsomely fitted up andlined with velvet, is sold for seven or eight pounds; large ink-standsand blotting books for twenty rupees, and card-cases for six or eight.

It is impossible, while perambulating the Fort of Bombay, to avoida feeling of apprehension concerning a catastrophe, which sooner orlater seems certain to happen, and which nothing short of a miracleappears to prevent from taking place every night; I mean thedestruction of the whole by fire. All the houses are constructed ofthe most combustible materials, and the greater number belonging tothe native quarter are thatched. Though contrary to law, many of thewarehouses contain gunpowder, while the immense quantity of oiland spirits stored up in them would render a conflagration, oncecommenced, most fearful. Few or no precautions seem to be taken by thenatives against fire. There are lights burning in every room of everyhouse, fires are continually made outside, whence a single sparkmight set the whole in flames; and added to these dangers, are theprejudices of the great number of the inhabitants, whose religiousfeelings would prevent them from making the slightest endeavour tostay the progress of the element which they worship. Nor would thedestruction of property be the sole danger. It is terrible to thinkof the fearful risk of life in a place in which escape would be sodifficult. The gates of the Fort are few in number, and of narrowdimensions; a new one is now constructing, probably with some viewto an emergence of the kind. The natives, upon the occasion of itsproposal, evinced their readiness to assist in the execution of a planso advantageous to the place of their abode, and immediately advancedhalf the sum which this necessary improvement would cost--namely,thirty thousand rupees--which were subscribed and paid into thetreasury in the course of a week.

In 1803 or 1804, a very destructive conflagration actually took placein the Fort of Bombay, and upon that occasion, in order to save thecastle, which did then, and does now, contain an immense quantity ofgunpowder, the authorities were obliged to bring out cannon to batterdown the surrounding houses, for the purpose of arresting the progressof the flames. When the place was rebuilt, many salutary regulationswere made to prevent the recurrence of so great a calamity, and couldall the plans of Government have been accomplished, the danger whichnow threatens Bombay would have been very considerably lessened; butit was found impossible to carry out all the objects contemplated,in consequence of the great value of the property which they wouldaffect.

The land within the walls of the Fort has become in a great measureprivate property, and the convenience of its contiguity to the harbouris so great, and the natives entertain so strong an idea of securityin a residence in a fortified place, however disqualified to resista hostile force, that nothing would prevail upon them to relinquishtheir houses. The higher classes are well aware of the hazards theyincur, but, like the dwellers in the neighbourhood of a volcano, areunwilling to quit a place endeared to them by long residence, thoughthey know not the hour in which they may be buried beneath its smokingruins. There are only a few Europeans who continue to inhabit theFort, but it must contain a very considerable portion of the propertyof those merchants who have their offices and warehouses within itswalls. The British authorities have taken all the precautions intheir power, the fire-engines have been placed in a state of greaterefficiency than heretofore, while, should an extensive fire takeplace, everything that European strength and skill could accomplishwould be attempted.

Amongst the various accidents to which houses in Bombay are subjected,the one to be most apprehended, that of fire, is often brought aboutby rats. They will carry off a lighted candle at every convenientopportunity, setting fire to dwellings by this means. They have beenalso known to upset tumblers containing oil, which is thus spreadabroad and likely to be ignited by the falling wick. It is, perhaps,impossible totally to exterminate this race of vermin, which in theFort set cats completely at defiance, but something might be done tokeep the population down. I have been told that there are places inthe more crowded portion rendered perfectly impassable at night inconsequence of the effluvia arising from the immense quantities ofmusk rats, which, together with the common sort, and bandicoots of anincredible size, abound, the narrow close lanes being apparentlybuilt for the purpose of affording accommodation to vermin of everydescription. Nevertheless, some of the native houses of the Fort wouldform very agreeable residences to persons accustomed to the utmostrefinement. Being exceedingly lofty, the upper apartments have theadvantage of every breeze that blows, while the views both of sea andland are splendid.

The immense size of these houses, and the elegance of theirdecorations, evince the spirit and wealth of their owners; they becomeabsolutely beacons at night, in consequence of the frequency and theextent of their illuminations. Numerous are the occasions, either ofholidays or other rejoicings, in which the natives of Bombay lightup their houses; rows of lamps hung along the wide fronts of theverandahs, upon every floor, produce a good effect, which is oftenheightened by the flood of light poured out of apartments decoratedwith chandeliers and lamps of every description.

In passing through the bazaar at night, every third or fourth houseis lit up upon some festive occasion; one favourite and very prettymethod consists of a number of small lamps, arranged to resemblebunches of grapes, and hung up in the trees of a court-yard. Sometimesin the evening, a sort of market is held in the native town beyondthe Esplanade, and every stall is profusely lighted; the hawkers,who carry about their goods in a more humble way upon their heads inbaskets, have them stuck with candles, and the wild shadowy effectsproduced, amid the quaint buildings thus partially lighted, afford acontinual phantasmagoria.

They must be destitute of imagination, indeed, who cannot findpleasure in the contemplation of the night-scenes of Bombay, eitherfrom its native crowds, or the delicious solitudes of its sylvanshades. The ear is the only organ absolutely unblest in this sunnyisland, the noises being incessant, and most discordant; the shriekingof jackals by night is music compared to that from native instruments,which, in the most remote places, are continually striking up:the drums, trumpets, bells, and squeaking pipes, of a neighbouringvillage, are now inflicting their torments upon my distracted brainin the most barbarous manner possible. The exertions of the performersnever appear to relax, and by night or day, it is all the same; theymake themselves heard at any distance, parading along the roads forthe sole purpose, it should seem, of annoying the more peaceableinhabitants. Certainly, the sister arts of music and painting haveyet to make their way in India, the taste for both being at presentperfectly barbarous.

The European bands, when playing on the Esplanade, attract a veryconsiderable number of natives; but whether congregated for thepurpose of listening to the music, or merely for the sake ofpassing the time, seems very doubtful. A few, certainly, manifesta predilection for "concord of sweet sounds," and no difficulty isexperienced by band-masters in recruiting their forces from natives,the boys learning readily, and acquitting themselves very wellupon instruments foreign to the country. There is, however, nomanifestation at present of the spread of a refined taste, and manyyears will probably elapse before any thing like good music will becommon in this part of Asia.

The great variety of religions extant in Bombay, each beingdistinguished by numerous festivals, all celebrated in the samemanner--that is, by noise and illuminations--sufficiently accountsfor the perpetual recurrence of lamp-lighting and drumming in alldirections. Every week brings round the anniversary of some day ofrejoicing of the Mohamedans, Hindus, Parsees, Jews, Roman Catholics,or Armenians, and Bombay may therefore be said to present oneuniversal holiday. Passing the other evening one of the handsomestpagodas in the island, an oblong square building of yellow stone,with a mitre-shaped tower at one end, I was surprised by the numberof European carriages in waiting. The exterior had all the air ofa Christian church, the situation beautiful, a platform of rockoverlooking the sea; and I could not help indulging the hope, that thesubstitution of chariots and buggies for palanquins and _rhuts_ wouldlead to the introduction of a purer and better creed.

CHAPTER X.

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BOMBAY--(_Continued_).

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Bombay the rising Presidency--Probability of its becoming the Seat of Government--The Anglo-Indian Society of Bombay--Style of Living--The Gardens inferior to those of Bengal--Interiors of the Houses more embellished--Absence of Glass-windows an evil--The Bungalows--The Encamping-ground--Facility and despatch of a change of residence--Visit to a tent entertainment--Inconveniences attending a residence in tents--Want of Hotels and Boarding-houses--Deficiency of public Amusements in Bombay--Lectures and _Conversaziones_ suggested, as means of bringing the native community into more frequent intercourse with Europeans--English spoken by the superior classes of natives--Natives form a very large portion of the wealth and intelligence of Bombay--Nothing approaching the idea of a City to be seen--The climate more salubrious than that of Bengal--Wind blows hot and cold at the same time--Convenience a stranger finds in so many domestic servants speaking English--Their peculiar mode of speaking it--Dress of servants--Their wages--The Cooks--Improved by Lord Clare--Appointments of the tables--The Ramoosee Watchmen--Their vociferations during the night--Fidelity of the natives--Controversy concerning their disregard of truth.